DEAN Keates is confident that Walsall will fight their way out of relegation trouble after he took a starring role in his first home game back with the club.

DEAN Keates is confident that Walsall will fight their way out of relegation trouble after he took a starring role in his first home game back with the club.

The midfielder, fresh back for a second spell with the Saddlers, capped a man-ofthe-match display with a goal in the 2-2 draw with Scunthorpe.

His driving performance gave Walsall the boost they needed at the end of a fractious week. And Keates reckons with similar displays of spirit, starting at Colchester tomorrow, they will leave the trap door zone behind.

"We showed great character to come back from 2-1 down with ten men," the fans' favourite said. "It would have been easy to cave in but we stuck in there and with a bit of luck could have won.

"Now we've got to show that character in every one of the games left. If we win five of them we should be okay. I'm sure we'll do it."

Keates revealed that his goal rounded off an amazing week for him personally. It started with his girlfriend Catherine giving birth to daughter Ellie, then brought the sacking of the man who re-signed him for Walsall before culminating in his heroics against Scunthorpe.

"On Monday I was on the way down to training with Danny Fox when Catherine called to say her waters had broken," Keates said. "I dropped Danny off at Junction 15 of the M6 and, while Mads Timm came to pick him up, I turned around.

"I watched my girlfriend give birth and then, straight after that euphoria, found out that Paul Merson had been sacked. I was gutted about that because he'd brought me back to the club. Then I was fortunate enough to get a goal on my home debut. It's been quite a week."